Dasatinib Associated Pleural Complications- A Case Series.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Dasatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) effective for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).
• Pleural complications affect 28-37% of patients on dasatinib.
• Late-onset effusions can develop after years of treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on late-onset dasatinib-induced pleural effusion in CML patients.
• To describe management strategies and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Case series of four CML patients with dasatinib-induced pleural effusion.
• Diagnostic thoracentesis and imaging were used.
• Treatment involved dose modification or TKI switching.

Main Results:

• All patients presented with dyspnea and exudative pleural effusions.
• One case of chylothorax was identified.
• Dose reduction resolved effusions in three patients, maintaining remission.
• One patient required dasatinib discontinuation and switching to nilotinib for recurrent chylothorax.

Conclusions:

• Late-onset pleural complications are a spectrum of dasatinib toxicity.
• Timely dose modification or TKI switching manages toxicity effectively.
• Oncological outcomes can be preserved while managing side effects.